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The Justice Department says That Cummins, Inc, has agreed to pay an incredible $1.675 billion dollar fine to settle accusations that it used defeat devices on the engines of hundreds of thousands of 2013 to 2019 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, according to the Department of Justice in order to pass emissions tests. The DOJ also says the company installed defeat devices on the engines of 330,000 newer 2019-2023 RAM pickup trucks.
According to a news release from the Department of Justice,
“Defeat devices are parts or software that bypass, defeat, or render inoperative emissions controls such as emission sensors and onboard computers. The company allegedly installed defeat devices on 630,000 model year 2013 to 2019 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines. The company also allegedly installed undisclosed auxiliary emission control devices on 330,000 model year 2019 to 2023 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines.”
Cummins Accused of Violating the Federal Clean Air Act
According to the Justice Department, the $1.675 billion fine is the largest civil penalty the department has ever secured under the Clean Air Act, and the second largest environmental penalty ever secured.
Attorney General Merrick Garland released this statement:
“The types of devices we allege that Cummins installed in its engines to cheat federal environmental laws have a significant and harmful impact on people’s health and safety. For example, in this case, our preliminary estimates suggest that defeat devices on some Cummins engines have caused them to produce thousands of tons of excess emissions of nitrogen oxides. The cascading effect of those pollutants can, over long-term exposure, lead to breathing issues like asthma and respiratory infections.”
A Cummins spokesperson, Jon Mills, told the USA Today, “The company does not admit wrongdoing and no one in the company acted in bad faith. The company has cooperated fully with the relevant regulators, already addressed many of the issues involved, and looks forward to obtaining certainty as it concludes this lengthy matter."
What About the Ram Trucks?
The Ram trucks involved in the scandal have already been recalled and updated. Cummins has reportedly spent $59 million updating the diesel engines and disabling the defeat devices.
As I reported in June of 2022, Chrysler paid a huge fine to settle its part of the scandal.
According to a statement from Stellantis, “FCA US LLC (FCA US) has agreed to a settlement that resolves a U.S. Department of Justice criminal investigation involving approximately 101,482 vehicles from model-years 2014 to 2016 equipped with second-generation EcoDiesel V-6 engines. The agreement, which is subject to U.S. federal court approval, includes a guilty plea, a fine of $96.1 million, and the forfeiture of $203.6 million in gains derived from the conduct. Consumer claims related to the subject vehicles have already been resolved, and no additional recalls are required.”
Fiat-Chrysler is admitting that it fraudulently used software to beat emissions tests. Fiat-Chrysler is now part of Stellantis. The legal distinction is important. Stellantis is not admitting any wrong doing. Fiat-Chrysler, the former owner, committed the crime. Stellantis's hands are clean. The Ram EcoDiesel was extremely popular, winning all sorts of awards including the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press Truck of the Year in 2015. The plea deal was negotiated with the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Ram Photo
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.
Follow Mary Conway at @MaryConwayMedia and send her car news tips for future stories.
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